Life has been hectic if you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with diabetes. It is like a full-time job with no leave. But what if we tell you that by taking some routine precautions, you can live the life you want? In this article, you can learn ways to keep fit and enjoy life without diabetes being a hurdle. At Doral Health & Wellness, we have all the answers you need.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic and hormonal disease that affects the way your body uses glucose for energy. Diabetes has a direct effect on the working and/or production of insulin, which controls the sugar levels in your body. If you have diabetes, either your body doesn’t make enough insulin or isn’t able to use insulin to control the sugar levels. As sugar levels rise, it can increase the risk of heart attacks, stroke, vision loss, or kidney diseases.
How should I take care of diabetes?
When it comes to diabetes, you should make a healthcare routine to live a healthy life. You can make a schedule that is divided into days, weeks, months, and years. This might seem hectic at first, but it will be a huge help in the long-term management of diabetes.
Here’s what your daily health care schedule should look like
- Exercise – Exercise is particularly important because it helps you to stay fit, active, and healthy. It also controls your blood glucose and your weight. You don’t need to perform difficult exercises. You can take a brisk walk or ride a bike. If you are busy, do it for 20-25 minutes to keep your momentum.
- Eat a healthy diet – Eating a healthy diet makes you active and gives your body adequate nutrition, which helps to maintain the sugar levels in an optimal range.
- Check your sugar levels – You need to check your sugar levels daily, as prescribed by the doctor. It helps to keep a record of how your body performs with medications.
- Take your medicine – Always take medications as prescribed by the doctor, even when you are feeling good.
- Check your skin and feet – Keep checking your skin and feet for any cuts, sores, blisters, redness, swelling, corns, etc. If you see anything that worries you – a new sore, a wound that isn’t healing – immediately contact your doctor.
Healthcare schedule for every 3 MONTHS
- Visit your doctor: Regular check-ups and check-ins with your health care team are important.
- To keep a record of your health and recovery,
- To assess whether medications are working for you or not,
- For blood pressure monitoring, the American Diabetes Association states that the blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes is below 140/90 mm Hg.
- For weight checks.
- A1C test: Every 3 months, you need to get an A1C blood test if your diabetes control is poor, and your blood sugar levels are high. This test measures the average blood sugar levels for the past three months by calculating the percentage of hemoglobin (a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen) coated with glucose molecules. It helps monitor the success of your diabetes management plan. The higher the levels, the more your chances of damaging your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, eyes, and feet. In most cases, the standard A1C goal is below 7%.
- Visit your Podiatrist: You need to schedule exams with your foot doctor for a check-up to make sure your toes and feet have not developed any diabetes-related sores or problems.
Healthcare Schedule for 6 MONTH follow-up
- Dental exam: Diabetes has been linked to problems with gums like periodontitis, which can lead to loosening and falling off your teeth. You should visit your dentist every 6 months to get your teeth and gums checked and for dental cleaning procedures (like scaling and oral prophylaxis procedures).
- A1C test: You might need an A1C blood test every 6 months (not every 3 months) if your diabetes control is good. The standard A1C goal in most cases is below 7%. The higher the levels, the more your chances of complications related to your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, eyes, and feet.
- Doctor’s visit: Visit your primary healthcare provider or endocrinologist, so that they can track your health and diabetes control and see how much better you have been since the last time.
Schedule for YEARLY check-up
- Physical exams: You should get a complete physical exam done once a year, with your primary healthcare physician or your diabetes healthcare team. This is important
- To make sure the medications are effective,
- To check your diabetes control,
- To check for any complications,
- To manage associated problems, and
- For monitoring your health.
- Complete foot checkup: It is necessary to get a yearly check-up with your podiatrist for your foot health, as one of the most common complications of diabetes is foot sores/ulcers that fail to heal, leading to serious consequences like gangrene and amputation (in severe cases).
- Cholesterol (lipid profile) test: Diabetes and high cholesterol levels (low HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) levels, along with high LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) levels and triglycerides) put you at risk of having a stroke or a heart attack in the future. So, you should get yearly cholesterol checks to assess your diabetes control and help counter any complications that might be developing (either due to poor diabetes control or weight gain).
- Eye checkup: Get a complete eye checkup once a year from an ophthalmologist to make sure that diabetes isn’t affecting your vision.
- Hearing Checkup: Get a complete ear checkup once a year, as diabetes can damage nerves that affect your hearing.
- Kidney tests: Make sure to include kidney tests in your yearly exams, to make sure that there is no problem with the kidney’s functionality (in removing waste or toxins from the body) because of diabetes.
- Flu shots: Diabetics need to take them once a year, because people with diabetes have a high chance of getting the flu. Consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions.
Vaccine shots you might need
- Pneumonia shot
- Hepatitis B vaccine
- Zoster vaccine
- Tdap vaccine
Some other things you might want to consider:
- Mental Health Checkup: Mental health is as important as your physical health. If you have stress or loneliness (in your life), it can lead to your diabetes growing, which can be dangerous. So, call your therapist or doctor for a checkup when you feel that your mental health isn’t well.
- New symptoms/concerns: If you see any new symptoms or an existing symptom getting worse, consider calling your doctor immediately.
By making a schedule and sticking to it, you can lead a normal life with diabetes, with no worries in life.
Diabetes is a dangerous and life-threatening disease with no cure at all. But by making simple tweaks like exercising, a healthy diet, and proper medications, you can lead a good and healthy life. We will provide all the help you need to manage your diabetes and lead a fulfilling life. Connect with us now on + 1-718-367- 2555 to get a personalized treatment plan for your diabetes. If you need help, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
